A Florida man was killed when an exploding vape pen launched a projectile into his head, in what's believed to be the first e-cigarette fatality in the United States.
An autopsy report confirmed the vape pen was responsible for the May 5 death of Tallmadge D’Elia, who was found by St Petersburg firefighters in the burning bedroom of his family home, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
The explosion sent two pieces of the vape pen into his cranium, the report of the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner said.
The official cause of death was "projectile wound of head" and it was ruled an accident.
Mr D'Ella also suffered "thermal injuries," or burns, on roughly 80 per cent of his body, the report said.
The vape pen was manufactured by Smok-E Mountain located in the Philippines.
In Idaho in January 2017, a man lost several teeth and suffered second-degree burns after a vape pen exploded in his face, the Tampa Bay Times said, citing NBC.
And in 2016, a vape pen user in New York suffered third-degree burns after the pen exploded in his pants, NBC reported.
The Food and Drug Administration said the exact causes of vape pen explosions are not yet clear, but could stem from battery-related issues.
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